Friday, 5 April 2013

More vintage Japanese solidbody wackiness: Zenon ZES-170

I have no idea how this 1960s Japanese-made Zenon ZES-170 guitar might sound, but aesthetically it's a triumph ... that is, so long as you appreciate such retro wackiness.

I'd like to see a small company like Eastwood or our friends at Pure Salem, someone who specialises in producing retro guitar designs with modern playability, get to grips with a guitar design like this. Note also the curious textured finish on this Zenon. I'm reminded of the finish Ovation used on some of their Breadwinners.

That's quite a bit different from your usual Zenon, the three piece pickguard, the bridge and the pickups all look to be higher end components, possibly made by Guyatone. Well worth a look, it might be an "ugly duckling".